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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · fork · key · mark · jam · stand · field · perch

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. fork — in a road
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mark — a grade
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. field — farmland
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com